Bears' Peppers not 100 percent

The Bears prepare for their Week 3 trip to Pittsburgh still waiting for defensive end Julius Peppers to have a significant impact. But they say they're not worried.

"I'm not concerned," linebacker Lance Briggs said Monday, a day after his team pulled out a 31-30 win over the Vikings. "One thing I'm not worried about is Julius Peppers."

Through two games, Peppers has been on the field for 97 defensive snaps. His statistical contributions: one tackle. Total.

That came early in the second half Sunday, when he stopped quarterback Christian Ponder short of a first down after a scramble on third-and-6.

Overall, though, Peppers hasn't been a disruptive force. And coach Marc Trestman said he believes there were additional factors at play Sunday. For starters, Peppers battled illness last week, missing practice Thursday after experiencing flu-like symptoms.

"He was not healthy (Sunday)," Trestman said. "He was probably sicker (Sunday) than he was the two previous days. He wouldn't say it. But in his defense, I don't know that he had the energy to play as hard as he could possibly play."

On top of that, Trestman said he believes the rainy weather Sunday contributed to the defense's struggles in generating more pressure.

"It's tough to rush the passer in wet weather," Trestman said. "For both sides. It's tough to get a pass rush with a soggy field and a wet field. It's an advantage throwing the football."

Explanation needed: Trestman said the Bears will consult the league this week for clarification on the penalty they were assessed for 12 men on the field on a Vikings punt in the first quarter. The Bears likely had 14, maybe 15 players still on the field when the Vikings quickly snapped the ball. But Trestman seemed irked that officials placed the ball so rapidly as the Bears attempted to transition their punt return team onto the field.

"The officials weren't quite sure what was going on," Trestman said. "When we looked at the tape from the end zone it looked like one of the officials was trying to hold up play. I mean, our guys did a good job. We've done a good job in transitions of running off the field. … They weren't raging off the field, but they were running at normal transition gait and (the refs) allowed them to snap the football.

"So we're going to ask the question. We want to make sure from the league that we're handling things the correct way."

That penalty wasn't costly. The Vikings gained 3 yards on their next three plays and punted again.

School's in session:Matt Forte talked to the players on the Frederick Douglass Academy football team Monday afternoon and served as the honorary coach for the youngsters at Hanson Stadium on Chicago's North Side. He also answered questions, including one from a young player about handling adversity.

"In a game, a lot of stuff is going to happen," Forte said. "Everybody knows that. Just like the last game We had interceptions, fumbles, all kind of stuff. It's how you respond afterward. If that happens in the NFL, you kind of have to have amnesia. Forget about what happened. … It's all about how you respond."

Bennett's bruise: The shoulder injury that Martellus Bennett suffered leaping for a pass in the back of the end zone in the first half does not appear to be serious. Trestman said Monday that an exam on the tight end's right shoulder showed only a bruise.